Home > News & media > FareShare East Midlands to provide 523,000 additional meals to vulnerable people each year

FareShare East Midlands to provide 523,000 additional meals to vulnerable people each year

11 September 2018

FareShare East Midlands has announced plans for a new warehouse which will enable it to provide a staggering 523,000 additional meals to vulnerable people each year.

Thanks to landmark funding from Asda, the Regional Centre will open its third warehouse in Wigston later this month – joining existing depots in Narborough and Holmewood. The new warehouse’s opening will coincide with the charity’s 10-year anniversary since it began operating in the region.

The charity is one of the largest regional branches of FareShare UK, and provides quality, surplus food to over 250 frontline community groups and charities across the East Midlands – including homeless hostels, school breakfast clubs, rehabilitation centres and elderly lunch clubs.

The new 6,600 sq ft premises will afford FareShare East Midlands the capacity to recruit over 60 new local charities in the next year. This will in turn help to feed a further 6,527 vulnerable people across the region each week, increasing the number of beneficiaries by an astonishing 35 percent within the first year of the warehouse opening.

The phenomenal growth and warehouse expansion has been made possible thanks to funding from Asda as part of its Fight Hunger Create Change programme.

The Fight Hunger Create Change programme is a partnership between Asda, FareShare and food poverty charity The Trussell Trust which aims to lift one million people out of food poverty across the UK. Over the course of three years, Asda will invest £20 million to enable both charities to invest in their infrastructure to offer more fresh food and crucial support and advice to people in need.

Simone Connolly, Director at FareShare East Midlands, said: “Since first opening a decade ago in 2008, FareShare East Midlands has provided an estimated 8,717,792 meals to those who need it – a phenomenal achievement which is testament to the charity’s tireless commitment to fighting hunger and reducing food waste.

“We do a great job of helping those experiencing food insecurity in our communities, but we know there is a demand for more support, which is why we are so grateful to Asda for its incredible generosity. Their funding will vastly increase our impact, enabling us to help feed another 6,527 vulnerable people at risk of hunger each week – a service we know is vitally needed, and valued, in the region. And what better time to announce this important expansion than in time for our 10-year milestone anniversary.

“If you run or know of a local charity or community group which could benefit from nutritious, quality surplus food, please do get in touch – we’re eager to help as many as we can.”

Andy Murray, Chief Customer Officer at Asda, said: “We’re really excited that our landmark Fight Hunger Create Change programme is enabling FareShare to massively scale up its operations in the East Midlands. The new warehouse will help thousands more people a year and have an incredible impact on local communities across the region.”

For more information, or if you know of an East Midlands-based charity or community group which could benefit from surplus food, visit fareshare.org.uk/getting-food/

“Asda’s funding will vastly increase our impact, enabling us to help feed another 6,527 people at risk of hunger each week – a service we know is vitally needed in the region.”

Simone Connolly, Managing Director, FareShare East Midlands

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